How does solar improve the environment?

The solar revolution is upon us. Whether we are tired of dirty air, high electric costs or we are concerned about our children’s futures, there are a plethora of reasons why people all over the globe are installing solar panels. For many different reasons, an increasing number of households are choosing to install solar panels on their home to help reduce their energy costs. You can save hundreds of dollars each year by installing a solar energy system on your roof. This will make us less reliant on the power grid. Fortunately, solar power is also a great sustainable, green energy choice. Solar energy doesn’t only have the benefit of reducing your electricity bills; it also has wide-ranging benefits for our planet. Some of the key benefits of solar energy on the environment include:

Using less water

Water is one of our most vital natural resources. We live on the driest continent on the planet, and we run the risk of running out of fresh water in the future. Desalination plants are not yet efficient enough to process large quantities of water. Traditional electricity production can use thousands of gallons of water each year. Water is used for cooling generators, processing and refining fuel and transporting fuel through pipes. Generating power through solar panels, however, uses no water whatsoever. The operation of solar photovoltaic cells doesn’t require water to generate electricity, reducing the strain on this precious resource. The only water needed for solar panels is rainwater to naturally clean the panels when they get dirty.

Reducing air pollution

Air pollution is a huge problem in urban areas all over the world. The air we breathe can help or hinder our health and wellbeing. Electricity generation from fossil fuels can generate harmful carbon dioxide and methane gases that lower the quality of the air we breathe. Breathing poor quality air on a daily basis can have detrimental consequences for our health. Air pollution has been linked to asthma and allergies, bronchitis, pneumonia, headaches, anxiety, heart attacks and even some cancers. Utilizing the sun to generate more of our power means less harmful emissions from burning fossil fuels. Generating electricity from solar panels produces no harmful emissions. The more buildings that rely on solar power means less toxic emissions from fossil fuels into our air.  With solar energy powering a home or business, there is no burning of fuel and no emissions/

Reducing your household’s carbon footprint

Solar energy is one of the cleanest sources of energy, and it’s an extremely effective way for your household to become more efficient and sustainable. Solar panels don’t use any water to generate electricity, they don’t release harmful gases into the environment, and the source of their energy is abundant and costs nothing. Employing solar energy instead of the grid also means you reduce the need for carbon dioxide emitting energy to be produced for the grid on your behalf – for energy users on mainland Australia, you could offset anywhere between a half and one ton of carbon dioxide for every megawatt hour of solar energy you use. With even a small system installed on your home, you can help reduce your household’s carbon footprint and contribute personally to the Australian Renewable Energy Target.

Now is a great time to join the solar revolution!

If you want to move into the future and join the solar revolution, or if you want to find out what solar panels are right for you, go to HahaSmart.com and try our price checker tool. You can see how much a system will cost, and how much you can save over the next 20 years. 

For more information relating to going solar, don't forget to visit our solar blog section for more handy guides and articles